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US 11,027,959 B2Granted
Fluidized powder valve system
AssigneeMatsys
InventorsRoderick Rowland, Steven Lawver, Tony F. Zahrah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device is provided for the controlled and precise delivery of powders, including cohesive powders, based on a fluidization technique to directly reduce inter-particle friction and using a fluidizing gas as an air-bearing. The device preferably includes no moving parts, no sealing gaskets or sealing surfaces. Unlike mechanically actuated valves, the powders dispensed by the current device do not experience mechanical shearing, thereby reducing wear and thus increasing the service life of the apparatus.
Claims10
A device configured for the delivery and metering of powders or granular materials, comprising:
- an extension or container configured for holding the powders or granular materials to be dispensed,
- a fluidization funnel assembly, wherein the extension or container is operatively connected to the fluidization funnel assembly;
- a fluidization stop valve assembly which is surrounded by an aperture or gap separating the fluidization funnel assembly and the fluidization stop valve assembly;
- and
- a gas port,
- wherein in a dispensing operation, the fluidization funnel assembly is configured to receive the powders or granular materials from the extension or container and lead the received powder or granular materials to the fluidization stop valve assembly,
- wherein the dispensing operation is performed without any mechanical movement of parts,
- wherein the fluidization stop valve assembly comprises a porous top plate and hollow section configured to allow the transport of gas from one or more supply lines, via the gas port, to a porous section of the fluidization stop valve assembly, the porous top plate being disposed between the fluidization funnel assembly and both the hollow section and the gas port, and the porous top plate opposes a bottom opening of the fluidization funnel assembly, and the porous top plate and hollow section are disposed along a center axis of the fluidization stop valve assembly such that the hollow section is surrounded by a powder outlet region through which the powders or granular materials are dispensed during the dispensing operation,
- wherein the aperture or gap separating the fluidization funnel assembly and fluidization stop valve assembly, is annular and the device includes micrometer adjusters configured to adjust the gap for the dispensing of powders and granular materials of varying flow characteristics,
- wherein the fluidization funnel assembly and fluidization stop valve assembly are configured to be operated at pressures below 5 psi, and
- wherein the fluidization funnel assembly and fluidization stop valve assembly comprise a sub-micrometer porous material.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.